Localization Dx11.txt Missing Total War May 2026

Fixing the "Localization DX11.txt Missing" Error in Total War

If you are trying to launch a Total War game (typically Total War: Shogun 2, Empire, or Napoleon) and are greeted by a crash-to-desktop (CTD) accompanied by an error message regarding "localization dx11.txt", you aren't alone.

This is a classic error that has plagued players for years, particularly after moving the game to a new hard drive, reinstalling Windows, or verifying game files via Steam. localization dx11.txt missing total war

Here is exactly what causes this error and how to fix it. Fixing the "Localization DX11

Platform-Specific Notes

Step 1: Verify Game Integrity (The most reliable fix)

This forces Steam to check for missing or corrupted files and re-download them. Open Steam and go to your Library

  1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
  2. Right-click on the affected Total War game (e.g., Total War: Attila).
  3. Select Properties.
  4. Go to the Installed Files tab (or "Local Files" in older Steam versions).
  5. Click Verify Integrity of Game Files.
  6. Wait for the process to finish. Steam will automatically restore the missing dx11.txt file if it was deleted.

Solution 3: Delete the Scripts Folder

Sometimes the error is not a missing file, but a corrupted user preference file pointing to the wrong location.

  1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard.
  2. Type %appdata% and press Enter.
  3. Navigate to: The Creative Assembly > [Your Game] > scripts.
  4. Delete the entire scripts folder (don’t worry – the game will rebuild it on launch).
  5. Restart the game.

Special Note for Total War: Attila and Thrones of Britannia

These titles are more sensitive to missing text files. In some cases, switching the game language in Steam (e.g., from English to German and back) forces Steam to redownload the localization pack.

How to change language: